Certain operations of electronic circuit board assembly are performed away from the main production assembly lines. While various feeder machines and robotic handling systems populate electronic circuit boards with integrated circuits, the operations related to processing integrated circuits, such as programming, testing, calibration, and measurement are generally performed in separate areas on separate equipment rather than being integrated into the main production assembly lines.
For example, in the programming of programmable devices such as electrically erasable programmable read-only memories (EEPROMs) and Flash EEPROMs, separate programming equipment is used which is often located in a separate area from the circuit board assembly lines. There were two main reasons why programming is done off-line: equipment size and programming speed limitations.
Conventional chip programming equipment is relatively large and bulky because of the need to accurately insert and remove programmable devices at high speeds into and out of programming sockets in the programmer. Since insertion and removal requires relatively long traverses at high speed and very precise positioning, very rigid robotic handling equipment is required. This rigidity requirement means that the various components have to be relatively massive with strong structural support members to maintain structural integrity and precision positioning of the pick and place system moving at high speeds. Due to the size of the programming equipment and the limited space for the even larger assembly equipment, they are located in different areas.
The second reason why programming is generally done off line is that programming speed severely limits the throughput of the assembly line. A single high-speed production assembly system can assemble programmed devices faster than they can be programmed on a single programming mechanism. This programming speed limitation is addressed by programming the devices using a number of off-line programming systems, which are generally operated for longer periods of time in order to have a reserve of programmed devices for the production assembly systems. This mode of operation means that the operating times and the input requirements are different between the two systems.
Due to these two limitations, no one has been able to build a single system, which could be easily integrated with both the mechanical and electronic portions of the production assembly systems. These systems are complex and generally require a great deal of costly engineering time to make changes to incorporate additional equipment.
A major problem associated with programming the programmable devices in a separate area and then bringing the programmed devices into the production assembly area to be inserted into the electronic circuit boards is that it was difficult to have two separate processes running in different areas and to coordinate between the two separate systems.
Often, the production assembly line runs out of programmable devices and the entire production assembly line would have to be shut down. At other times, the programming equipment is used to program a sufficient inventory of programmed devices to assure that the production assembly line is not be shut down; however, this mode of operation increases inventory costs.
Further problems are created when the programming has to be changed and there is a large inventory of programmed integrated circuits on hand. In this situation, the inventory of programmable devices would have to be reprogrammed, resulting in a waste of time and money.
While it is apparent that a better system with fast, on-line programming is desirable, there are several apparently insurmountable challenges in accomplishing this level of integration. Assuming that a sufficiently fast programming device can be seamlessly be integrated within an assembly system, one remaining challenge is designing a compact pick and place component handling system that can accurately pick-up, move, and release small components such as micro-devices.
Thus, a need still remains for a compact pick and place small-component handling system that can be easily integrated within an assembly line. In view of the ever-increasing commercial competitive pressures, along with growing consumer expectations and the diminishing opportunities for meaningful product differentiation in the marketplace, it is critical that answers be found for these problems. Additionally, the need to reduce costs, improve efficiencies and performance, and meet competitive pressures, adds an even greater urgency to the critical necessity for finding answers to these problems.
Solutions to these problems have been long sought but prior developments have not taught or suggested any solutions and, thus, solutions to these problems have long eluded those skilled in the art.